BLOG

Washington on the Brazos

One of my favorite places to visit is the Washington on the Brazos historical park located in Washington, Texas. This site is also known as the birthplace of Texas as the Texas Declaration of Independence was signed on this very land. The first time I visited the park I fell in love and since then I love to visit every now and then to hike the trails. I love going during the height of bluebonnet season when the wildflowers are plentiful and beautiful. Well, this year bluebonnet season came a bit earlier than usual and by the time I went to visit, I saw only a few patches of them. There is a particular trail I love walking down because it has the most wildflowers I have ever seen in one spot, but this year the trail was closed off due to the large amount of rain we had been receiving. I didn’t see many bluebonnets, but I did enjoy the visit as the sun was shining, the birds were singing, and the bees were buzzing.

So, without the wildflowers to see we took the time to check out the Barrington living history farm that is on the property. If you want a little bit of Texas history, this farm was owned by the last president of the Republic of Texas, Anson Jones and his family. This farm is interesting to see because park staff recreates life in the 19th century dressed in time-period clothing while they take care of the house and farm. The staff does tasks such as knitting, feeding livestock, and cooking as one would have done in that time. One member of the staff even took on the role entirely as he talked to us as if he were actually living in the 19th century.

The family's home is definitely my favorite part about the farm which has a huge porch and a breezeway down the middle where the wind hits just right. I could probably spend all day enjoying the breeze while reading my favorite book. The farm also includes livestock such as cows, pigs, and chickens, as well as, a garden that the family would have used for food.

There is also a Texas history museum shaped like a star and is full of artifacts found around the area. Exhibits display what types of animals that used to roam the area such as buffalo and black bears and they describe what different tribes of Native Americans lived near there. There are other exhibits that showcase what the town would have consisted of including the school, the doctor, the blacksmith, and how people navigated down the Brazos River.

If you’re looking for a short hike and little bit of Texas history I definitely suggest taking a trip here, especially during April when the flowers are out and the weather is perfect.